A comprehensive, up-to-date review of lichens as biomonitors of air pollution (bioindication, metal and radionuclide accumulation, biomarkers), and as monitors of environmental change (including global climate change and biodiversity loss) in a wide array of terrestrial habitats. Several methods for using lichens as biomonitors are described in a special section of the book.

The book embodies the detailed account about unique symbionts i.e. LICHENS in ecosystem monitoring. The first chapter deals with unique characteristics features of lichens which facilitate their survival in extreme climates and makes them an ideal organism for ecosystem monitoring. Biosynthesis of secondary metabolites are known to protect lichens against increasing environmental stresses therefore second chapter provides insight into various chromatographic and modern spectroscopic techniques involved in separation and characterization of lichen substances. The third chapter elaborates the criteria for selection of biomonitoring species and characters of host plant that influences lichen diversity and details about different lichen species utilized for biomonitoring. One can retrieve preliminary information about the air quality based on the lichen community structure and distribution of bioindicator species as lichen communities/indicator species provides valuable information about the natural/anthropogenic induced changes in the microclimate and land-use changes due to human activity. Therefore, for identification of species, a key to genera and species provides concise information to identify the lichen species based on their morphological and anatomical characters and chemicals present. Keys provided in Chapter 4 will help the beginners to identify some common lichen species based on the distribution in different climatic zones of India. The section also provides comprehensive information about the bioindicator communities and bioindicator species from India. Chapter 5 provides the details of factors affecting the ecosystem (natural as well as anthropogenic disturbances) and role of lichens in ecosystem monitoring in India has been discussed in detail. Chapter 6 discusses the need and utility of indicator species especially lichen biomonitoring data in sustainable forest management and conservation. The content about lichens in biomonitoring will be a valuable resource for researchers from different fields and will provide an essential reference for people interested in lichens and its role in ecosystem monitoring. The book will also hopefully popularize lichenological studies in India and will generate more active participation of lichen biomonitoring studies in management and conservation of natural resources in India.

This handbook is an indispensable tool for the isolation, identification and structural analysis of the approx. 700 substances currently known to occur in lichens. The first part covers all necessary methods for the analysis of lichen metabolites; the second part gives the analytical and spectroscopical data of all known lichen substances as well as a key to their identification and differentiation. Besides its high value for all chemists working with these substances as a basis for other products, the book serves as a chemotaxonomical key to the identification of lichen species and as a reference for all those who use lichens for the biomonitoring of environmental pollution.

Table of contents

This volume uses chemometric mathematical modelling approaches to investigate geographic areas at risk of ecological degradation due to pollution. While most analytical approaches in environmental research involve sophisticated and sensitive instrumental techniques, this book employs chemometric techniques to create a corresponding data matrix to extract accurate and realistic environmental information in areas vulnerable to and affected by hazardous substances. The text offers case studies to establish a general framework of the opportunities, advantages, weaknesses and challenges of these mathematical approaches, and provides a chemometric model of each focus area to assess the long-distance distribution of pollutants. The case studies highlight the potential use of novel chemometric models for mitigating and preventing environmental pollution and ecological risks, while also providing reviews of the current status and developments in chemometric analysis of environmental pollution. The book will be of interest to students and researchers in environmental and agricultural chemistry, environmental pollution modelling and ecological degradation.

The present book discusses the use of lichen as a biomonitor tool to trace element air deposition, especially focusing on their accumulation performance. The work comprises three main parts, each one addressing relevant issues on factors influencing bioaccumulation. The distribution of accumulated elements, the lichen parameters that need to be used in assessing and ensuring comparability of their characteristics in space and time and the dynamics of the elemental accumulation and release in lichens are all subjects covered in depth in this volume. Lichen Biomonitors: Factor Affecting Response Behaviour starts by presenting the current state-of-the-art of biomonitoring and by introducing relevant issues both generally and specifically recognised as needing attention. The work goes on to explain the intercellular distribution of elements in lichens, the procedures of the comparability testing experiment and, finally, the study of lichens dynamic in more detail. The final chapter discusses and summarises the principal work and the conclusions of the different experiments of the study and highlights the future research that is needed in this area. This book is a must have for people working on biomonitoring issues offering an in-depth study particularly in lichen, for those interested or that have previously worked with these organisms. IOS Press is an international science, technical and medical publisher of high-quality books for academics, scientists, and professionals in all fields. Some of the areas we publish in: -Biomedicine -Oncology -Artificial intelligence -Databases and information systems -Maritime engineering -Nanotechnology -Geoengineering -All aspects of physics -E-governance -E-commerce -The knowledge economy -Urban studies -Arms control -Understanding and responding to terrorism -Medical informatics -Computer Sciences